


Consequences

by LluviaSpirit



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Post Election, Respawn, no permanent death, phil is only mentioned, pre festival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:48:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27320737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LluviaSpirit/pseuds/LluviaSpirit
Summary: What if Wilbur pressed the button before the festival? What if he told Tubbo beforehand, and Tubbo got out? What if Tommy didn't know that? A story in which the residents of Pogtopia, and everyone else, deal with the consequences of their actions.This is my first story on here, I'm so sorry if this is bad.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt, Alexis | Quackity & Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson (mentioned), Eret & Floris | Fundy & Niki | Nihachu, Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, No Romantic Relationship(s), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Toby Smith | Tubbo & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 6
Kudos: 244





	Consequences

**Author's Note:**

> Originally I was going to break this up into two chapters, but frankly, I'm not sure how to do that so it's just going to be one long chapter. Hope that's okay!

The ground shakes lightly under Tubbo's feet as he makes his way through the forest. The cliffside that Wilbur said to meet at less than a minute away. He can't help but wince when the distant screams, sounds of the ground caving and buildings collapsing, and Wilbur's laughter register in his ears. 

Tubbo swallows and pushes through the last of the greenery separating him from his friend. "Wilbur?" The laughter stops and the man in question whips around, smiling brightly. 

"Tubbo! Glad to see you got out in time." Tubbo chuckles nervously, avoiding eye contact. He doesn't like looking into Wilbur's eyes, doesn't like seeing the emptiness and the pain that he hides behind smiles. 

"I did, I did. Thanks for the warning. I almost didn't, Schlatt wouldn't leave me alone." Wilbur nods solemnly in response and then motions Tubbo over. 

"Come look at this. It's quite beautiful really, Manburg up in flames." 

Reluctantly, he moves up to stand at Wilbur's side. The older boy slings an arm across Tubbo's shoulders and holds a hand out as if presenting a beautiful view. It isn't beautiful. It's gut-wrenching and heartbreaking to look at. Here, at the top of this hill, the yelling is louder. The screams just a little clearer. It makes Tubbo wince again. Their home, their beloved L'Manburg is truly gone now. Once the fire settles and the ground stops shaking and caving in, nothing but the memories will be left. 

He looks up at Wilbur, who is looking intently at the destruction he's wrought, his smile wide as ever. "What do we do now Wil?" 

Wilbur takes a deep breath and lets it out with a soft chuckle. "Whatever we want Tubbo, whatever we want." 

Tubbo nods, but he can't shake this feeling of loss, of grief, of pain. He hopes that now, maybe Wilbur will start to heal and recover. He has to hope. Look on the bright side. Because if he doesn't he's not sure what will happen, or what he'll have left. Obviously, he'll have Tommy, and they'll have the discs. That's all he really needs, but he's experienced having more than that, and whether it's selfish or not he doesn't want to go back to having less. 

Speaking of, "Wil, where's Tommy?" The leader of Pogtopia shrugs. And to be honest, the apparent indifference he has towards his brother's location, while the world is basically collapsing beneath them, isn’t comforting. 

"Maybe with Techno? Not sure. I told them to meet us here too." 

"You're not worried at all?" Wil laughs. 

"No, why would I be? For as much of a pain in the ass he can be, Tommy Innit isn't stupid. He wouldn't go into Manburg today." Tubbo nods, he knows Wilbur is trying to be comforting and he tries to make the words ease the panic beginning to claw at his insides. 

He isn’t sure how many minutes pass of them standing there in silence, watching their home burn and fall apart. Maybe half an hour? An hour? Or maybe only a few minutes pass. Regardless he hears it, barely, but he hears it. Is someone calling for him? His head snaps towards the faint call. 

"Tubbo?" 

"Wilbur, did you hear that?" 

"Hear what Tubbo?" Tubbo puts his hand up to quiet Wilbur and steps closer to the edge of the cliff. He hears it again, the faintest bit clearer, coming from the midst of the burning nation. Someone was absolutely calling for him. 

"There!" He turns to face Wilbur, who's frowning. The small burst of excitement he feels at the confirmation that he isn't imagining it distracts him from recognizing who the voice belongs to and from understanding why Wilbur goes pale. 

It clicks when he hears his name again. 

"Tommy- he’s looking for me. He thinks- he thinks I'm still in Manburg! We have to, we have to go get him!" He's only stopped from doing so when Wilbur catches his wrist and holds it tightly. 

"Wilbur?" Tubbo looks between the hand in his wrist and then up at Wilbur. He's both surprised and unnerved when he sees fear in Wilbur's eyes. Possibly the first thing he's really seen in the older boy’s eyes in months. 

"Wilbur let go, we have to help Tommy." 

"I- no Tubbo we have to stay here." His voice cracked, "I won't lose you both." 

"No, no. You won't lose anyone if we go and help him!" Tubbo grabs at the hand on his wrist trying to pry it off. When he isn’t able to get free, he lashes out hitting and scratching at Wilbur. He has to get to Tommy. 

Startled, Wilbur drops his hold on Tubbo, stumbling back and falling on his ass. He raises a hand to his face and looks down at it in surprise when it comes back bloody. It's his own fault really, Tubbo reasons, there was no way he wouldn't try to help his best friend. 

"Tubbo please-" he pleads, but Tubbo is already gone. Sprinting down the cliff and through the forest back to Manburg. As he runs he tries to pinpoint where he heard Tommy's voice coming from. 

As he descends and gets closer to Manburg, fuck it he can call it L'Manburg again all that’s left is rubble anyway. As he gets closer to L'Manburg, he feels the smoke start to enter his lungs and cloud his vision. That doesn't matter though, he has to get to Tommy, that's what’s important. 

Finally, finally, he reenters the borders of L'Manburg. He never stops sprinting, and once he gets a little farther in he starts shouting for his best friend. 

"Tommy! Tommy where are you?" He's yelling at the top of his lungs and that mixed with the sprinting makes him have to stop and breathe. Having to inhale deeply lets the smoke rush into his lungs and he chokes. It's enough that part of him wants to leave. He doesn't. He presses further into the nation and continues to yell. 

It's so unbearably hot and it’s loud and hard to breathe and see. He nearly loses his footing and falls into a crater created by the TNT. Another building collapses to his left making him yelp and jump away. More collapse around him, as if that one building falling gave them permission to fall. 

"Tommy where are you?" He coughs again, trying to get the smoke to stop invading his lungs. "Tommy, please! If you can hear me say something!" 

Something else collapses behind him. If there was a reply, he misses it. Tubbo curses softly. 

"Please be okay. Please, please be okay." Tubbo keeps running. But stops suddenly. A piece of red and white cloth catches his eye. Could it be literally anything else? Yes, but it looks a lot like Tommy's shirt. He hopes that that means he's headed in the right direction. 

"T-Tubbo...?" It’s soft and so very quiet, compared to the noise around him, that Tubbo almost misses it. Keyword being almost. He stops in his tracks. 

"Tommy I'm here! where are you?" 

"Here-" This time Tommy's voice is a little louder, as Tubbo navigates through fire towards him, but it’s filled with a pain that chills him to his core. 

Tubbo reaches the edge of a crater, he thinks this is where Jack's house was, and only hesitates for a moment until he spots the red from his friend’s shirt, and then his friend, and scrambles down. 

Fuck, oh no, oh god. Tommy is under here. He must've been inside the building when it collapsed. Luckily he isn’t completely buried under the rubble, unluckily most of him is. He reaches his friend's side and pales. Tommy's face is covered in ash and soot along with some dried blood, but that's not the main cause of concern, it’s the pool of blood dripping out from beneath the rubble and into the ground and the exhausted look in his friend's eyes that scare him. 

"You're okay," Tubbo sees tears in his friend’s eyes, "was so scared that-" He shushes his friend. 

"I'm right here okay? I'm fine, I'm perfectly okay and I'm gonna get you out." He pours every ounce of compassion he can into his voice, hoping it helps. Tommy nods his eyes fluttering closed as Tubbo starts to carefully pull away the building fragments pinning his best friend. 

Tubbo reaches out and shakes Tommy gently. "C'mon man I need you to keep your eyes open." 

"Sorry Big T." It’s a relief when he opens his eyes again but Tubbo can see the effort that it’s taking for him to keep them open, to stay awake. 

Tubbo thanks whatever gods are out there that the rubble was light enough and in small enough pieces that he could move it. As soon as he pulls the last of it off though, the thanks fade away and a sob rips itself from his chest before he can even process what he's looking at. Large shards of glass stick out from Tommy's leg and through his stomach. 

He's also closed his eyes again, and for a second his chest doesn't rise or fall and Tubbo is sure he's dead. 

"Tommy-" Tubbo sobs falling to his knees and gathering said boy into his arms. "Tommy, you're gonna be okay. Please stay with me-" 

The jarring movement and the sob from his best friend make Tommy wince and open his eyes again. 

"M'sorry Big T. Just tired." 

"I know- I know but please." Tommy nods, but his eyes still close again and he makes no move to open them. 

"Tubbo?" 

He inhales shakily, "yeah Tommy?" 

Tears slip out of his closed eyes and run down soot-covered cheeks. "M'sorry. I don't wanna die Big T..." 

Tubbo tries to contain his sob, he doesn't want to upset Tommy anymore. "You won't. You're not gonna die. I-" he almost promises, but he can't bring himself to lie to Tommy. 

He pulls Tommy closer. Tubbo has no idea what else to do except sit here with Tommy. He knows that he can't carry Tommy out of here. Tommy shifts against him. 

"I'm glad- glad you're okay Tubbo." He struggles to get the words out. Tubbo hugs him tighter. The noises of the fire and Tommy's labored breathing the only things Tubbo can hear. 

And then Tommy stops breathing and doesn't start again. 

"No-" A sob rips itself from his lungs. "No, no, no, Tommy, please! Please wake up." 

His grief-filled scream fills the air and his body trembles as he cries, clutching his friend’s body tighter as if that would make him wake up. 

It doesn't. 

Tubbo stays in that crater with Tommy's body, crying, for what feels like weeks. By now, the fires have started to die out and the sun has started to rise. That's his only way of knowing any time has really passed at all. Because while it felt like forever, it also felt like no time had passed. Like he was stuck in this moment. 

"Tommy! Tubbo!" 

"Wil we don't even know if they're still here." 

"Techno we don't know that they're not." 

Tubbo doesn't have the strength to call out to them. They find him regardless. 

"Oh- god." Tubbo looks up at Tommy's brothers. He thinks he sees something break in Wilbur, something that had stayed together throughout, even when he lost everything. Tubbo thinks he should feel sympathy, but right now, he feels rage. 

"This is your fault! You did this! If you had just listened to him, we'd be okay! He'd be okay!" His words make Wilbur recoil, good. 

"I didn't think that this would hap-" 

"You didn't think at all!" Tubbo cries. 

Techno steps forward slowly and Tubbo glares at him. "Stay the fuck away from us!" 

Techno looks at him and Tubbo feels a little bit of remorse. There's more pain in Techno's eyes than he thought was even possible and when he looks at Wilbur again, he sees the pain there too. They both lost Tommy tonight too, even if it was their own damn faults. 

"Please-" Techno only whispers. 

Tubbo withers under the painful gaze of Tommy's brothers. He feels exhaustion press down on his bones and grief continues to chip away at him, determined to break him until nothing remains. He doesn't let go of Tommy, refuses to relinquish grip on his best friend, and maybe it’s selfish but truly he doesn't care. Wilbur and Techno don't push him, don't demand him to let them hold their brother, he can see how much they want to. He doesn't pull away when Techno and Wilbur drop down next to him and reluctantly, he lets them pull Tommy away. He lets them kiss the top of Tommy's head and hold his hand tightly and whisper how sorry they are and how much they love him. He lets them cradle their baby brother's corpse. 

Together, the three grieve. 

~~~ 

Techno is the first to move, disturbing Wilbur, who had been heavily leaning on the younger. He shifts his grip on Tommy's body, an arm under his legs and an arm behind his neck, and makes to stand up. Tubbo opens his mouth to object, because how dare Techno try to take Tommy anywhere. It takes his exhausted mind a moment to understand what Techno is doing, but when it does click the protests die on his lips.

Wilbur follows, standing on shaky legs. He holds onto the edge of Techno's cape tightly, like if he lets go his other brother will be lost too. The pair look down at Tubbo, who feels like if he moves this will be real and his best friend will have actually died in his arms. If he doesn't, Tubbo can still cling to the hope that this is a nightmare. 

Wilbur offers a hand, and Tubbo takes it. He holds it tightly, just like Wilbur holds Techno's cape. The point of contact grounding where grief makes him feel floaty. This never gets easier. 

Silently they make their way back through the smoldering ruins of their nation. Tubbo doesn't want to look at the destruction, he wonders if Wilbur feels remorse when he looks at the remains of L'Manburg. Maybe he feels some sort of closure, either would be better than the joy he seemingly felt earlier. Even though he doesn't want to, Tubbo keeps his head up. It’s easier than looking down at his feet because then he can see the blood staining his clothes. Tommy's blood. 

They pass people as they head to Pogtopia. Niki's noise of pain rings through his ears, drawing his attention to her. He looks up to see her crying into Fundy's shoulder, who is holding her steady as Eret wraps up a nasty burn on her arm. When Fundy catches sight of them, he pales considerably. Most likely being bombarded by his own grief. Tubbo thinks Wilbur must give him some sort of pleading look, a silent question, because when they lock eyes Fundy nods and leans over to whisper something to Eret. The other man stiffens and starts speaking quietly to Niki as Fundy shifts his hold on her. 

Tubbo spots Schlatt a bit away next to Quackity, facing away from them, as they distance themselves from Niki, Fundy, and Eret. Silently, he begs Schlatt to not turn around, to not notice them. When has Schlatt ever done anything Tubbo wanted? It's probably Quackity's fault, he thinks, he's not very subtle when he sees the members of Pogtopia. Before he turns around, Tubbo faintly hears Schlatt asking Quackity what's wrong. When he does turn, Tubbo is surprised at just how tired he looks. The usually suave businessman looks neither suave nor like a businessman. 

He almost misses the relief that spreads across Schlatt's face and the way tension slips from his shoulder when they lock eyes. It only lasts a second before the president spots Wilbur and unbridled fury consumes every ounce of him. Tubbo can't fault him for his anger. He isn’t surprised when Schlatt pushes Wilbur hard, grabbing the collar of his jacket roughly. 

"Are you happy now? Is this what you fucking wanted?" Schlatt sneers. 

"I-" Wilbur stutters, unsure of what to say. He did get what he wanted, L'Manburg is no more, Schlatt has no land to rule over. But maybe, just maybe, he's realizing that this isn't what he wanted at all. 

"You what? I'll admit maybe I made some mistakes, kicking you and Tommy out wasn't fair. But this? This is too fucking far Wilbur!" Wilbur nods helplessly. 

"I'm sor-" 

"I would fucking hope so! But you're 'sorry,' well that's not good enough." He glances over at Tubbo, sees the exhaustion that feels like it’s etched into his bones, and his expression only hardens. Schlatt leans in closer and lowers his voice. "If the kid weren't here right now, I'd tear you apart. Luckily all of my people, our friends, got out safe. What would you have done if they hadn't? Would you even have cared? What if Tubbo hadn't? What if Tommy-?" 

"Schlatt," Quackity says suddenly, grabbing the horned man's shoulder. 

The interruption lets Schlatt catch his breath and actually look at the people around him. He sees the tear tracks running down all three faces, the fresh ones crowding in the corners of Wilbur's eyes and sliding down his cheeks silently, but more importantly, he sees the body cradled in Techno's arms. He gives Wilbur a hard look, one that Tubbo can tell means 'this isn't over' and then he steps out of the way. 

Wilbur inhales shakily, "thank you Big Q." Quackity nods but he shares a look with Wilbur that makes the latter shiver. 

~~~ 

The caves of Pogtopia should feel safe, but they just feel empty without Tommy's liveliness. Techno shuts himself in Tommy's room with Tommy, leaving Wilbur and Tubbo alone. Logically, he knows that Techno is the best at performing the ritual, knows that he wouldn't be able to sit still long enough to be anything but a distraction, knows that if he causes Techno to mess up it could be months before Tommy comes back, but that doesn't make being separated any easier. As he sits on one of Pogtopia's many ledges next to Wilbur, legs dangling, the silence is deafening. It feels like he's being eaten alive and despite the chill of the stone around him, Tubbo still feels the heat of the flames. Quiet has never been so loud and the cold has never been so warm. 

"Tubbo I'm," Wilbur takes a deep breath, probably to keep his voice from cracking under the weight of the emotions that lace his words. "I'm so sorry. This- this was never what I wanted." 

Tubbo curses the part of him that wants to be comforting, that wants to tell Wilbur everything is okay."What part didn't you want?" He asks instead. 

"I just-" 

"Was it the destruction of our home? Our friends being in danger? Or was it just that Tommy-?" 

Tubbo sees shame in Wilbur's eyes 

"All of it." Wilbur says softly, "I didn't want any of it. Not really." 

Tubbo sighs, he doesn't want to believe Wilbur. He wants to hate him, to blame him, and make sure he never forgets this. But he does believe him, and Tubbo can't bring himself to hate his friend. It's inexcusable, what Wilbur's done, but he understands. Even if he isn't able to forgive yet. Tubbo lets his eyes close and his head fall onto Wilbur's shoulder. He's so, so tired, and he knows that the small action lets Wilbur know that he isn't irredeemable.

~~~ 

When sleep lets him go, it's disorienting, to say the least. His limbs are achy and stiff, his leg, in particular, feels awful and sharp pains in his chest and stomach when he breathes in make him groan. Stiffly, and slowly, he moves his hand to cover his eyes. It's so bright in his room that even through closed eyes it hurts. He decides it will be easier if he keeps his eyes closed a little longer. 

He tries to pull himself into a sitting position and instead cries out as pain flares up in his torso. 

"Fucking-" Here is fine, he decides. He likes his bed anyway, why would he need to move? 

Something shifts down by the foot of his bed, the noise-making unused ears twitch. 

Tommy opens his eyes, letting them adjust to the lights in his room, and is met with the sleep hazy gaze of his best friend. Tubbo rubs at his eyes to shake them free of sleep and Tommy blinks a few more times so that the light doesn't feel as overwhelming. 

"Tommy-" There's an emotion that Tommy can’t place carved onto his friend's face, but it is quickly overtaken by joy as Tubbo launches himself at Tommy. Tubbo envelopes his best friend in a hug. 

A soft noise of pain slips out of Tommy's mouth. "Jesus christ Tubbo, you're so clingy." Even as the words leave his mouth, Tommy is pulling Tubbo closer. The warmth of the embrace and just the presence of his best friend seemingly making all his pain melt away. 

Tubbo only laughs incredulously. "I'm so glad you're okay. It's been two weeks and we were worried that-" Tubbo cuts himself off. Tommy doesn't need to guess why, as he buries himself further into Tubbo, he remembers. The heat of the flames, desperately searching for Tubbo, the building crumbling and falling around him, the feeling of glass cutting through his skin as he's unable to do anything, Tubbo finding him, and then... Tommy shivers. 

"Who?" 

"Techno." 

Tommy nods. "The Blade always was the best. Dad'd be proud." To an extent anyway. He's pretty sure Phil wouldn't be proud of who Techno was having to bring back, even if it meant he was getting better at doing it every time. 

Tommy, slowly, scoots over and the two curl up together. The much-needed comfort both boys crave being fulfilled by simply being in the other’s presence. They lay in silence for a while. Tommy doesn't need to ask, it's like Tubbo just knows as he starts quietly filling Tommy in on everything that's happened. The younger of the two is grateful. He can't help but notice the way Tubbo doesn't talk about Wilbur, can't help but hear the forced proud tone with which Tubbo shows his burn, and he can't help but feel the way Tubbo tenses when he talks about L'Manburg. 

"Should probably go tell them," Tubbo says after running out of things to say. "They missed you as much as I did." 

Tommy rolls his eyes playfully. "No one can miss me more than you Big T, you're incredibly clingy." Every time he makes Tubbo laugh, it makes his heart swell. Making your best friend happy will never not be a skill Tommy is incredibly proud of. This time is no different. 

Tubbo slips out of his room, not bothering to close the door, and Tommy waits. As much as he loves Tubbo, he aches for his older brothers just as much. To be fair though, he reasons with himself, Tubbo is his brother in everything but blood. 

He hopes that Wilbur and Techno are okay. Hoping isn't usually his thing. It's a weird feeling, not bad though. He hopes that there's some life in Wil's eyes again, hopes that Techno won't look nearly as tired. 

The sounds of shoes hitting the stone floor in the distance draw Tommy from his thoughts. A few moments later Techno busts through the open door with Wilbur just behind him. His brothers certainly look worse for wear, truly he wasn't expecting much else. Techno doesn't hesitate to rush to Tommy's bedside and pull him into a hug. The lining of his coat is soft as Tommy grips it. 

"Good to see you breathin' again." Tommy mutters a quiet 'fuck off' and looks over Techno's shoulder. 

Wilbur stands in the doorway, hesitation, and guilt lining his features. Tommy doesn't care right now. He'll find another day to be angry. For now, he simply reaches a hand out for his other brother. The eldest joins his brothers in the hug, pressing a kiss to the top of Tommy's head. 

"You little gremlin child," he says fondly, "we were all worried." 

"'M sorry." His voice comes out muffled, Techno's coat is very sound absorbent. 

"No- Tommy, I'm sorry. My actions got you ki- hurt. I love you so, so much. I made a mistake, and-" 

"Please shut up Wil, it's okay." Tommy huffs, he doesn’t want apologies or explanations right now, he just wants his family. 

Tubbo sneaks into the hug shortly after and the members of Pogtopia stay curled together for hours, none of which wanting to be the first to let go.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Again, this was my first work, so criticism is highly appreciated!


End file.
